The present invention relates to synthetic polymers. More specifically, it relates to synthetic polymers possessing at least one cyclobutanone group in their structure and to a process for obtaining such polymers by modifying a conjugated diene polymer.
Conjugated diene polymers, which term includes the homopolymers and copolymers of conjugated diene monomers as well as interpolymers of such monomers with other polymerizable monomers, are well known in the art, as are the methods for their preparation. Also known are methods for modifying such polymers to broaden the available range of properties and uses by reacting them with other organic compounds.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel method for modifying such conjugated diene polymers so as to obtain reactive synthetic polymers which cannot be obtained by direct polymerization of monomers and which can also serve as chemical intermediates for other valuable polymers in addition to having significant utility in themselves.